Looking after the veterinary profession

Legal Issues

We can all get into disputes which can only be mediated by law – disputes involving clients, employment, neighbours, property, consumer items etc. This page is intended to provide some links to advice and information in the areas of personal law you are most likely to need.

Also, have a look at:

British Veterinary Forensic & Law Association

BVFLA home page  

Promotes the interest and expertise of its members in all areas where the law affects the veterinary profession and welcomes enquiries and comments about veterinary/legal matters. Also seeks to act as a bridge between the legal and veterinary professions.

Membership of BVFLA is open to all persons interested in veterinary/legal matters including veterinary surgeons, lawyers and other interested parties who deal with aspects of litigation, mediation, arbitration and advocacy in subjects that affect animals, their owners or veterinary surgeons including disease and treatment, animal management, animal welfare, the Medicines Act or employment law.

BVFLA meetings involve:

  • Talks on the laws that apply to veterinary surgeons:

    • as veterinary surgeons

    • as employers

    • as expert witnesses

  • Training veterinary surgeons to write and present incident reports, how to give evidence in court cases and in the role of veterinary surgeons as expert witnesses

American Veterinary Medical Law Association

AVMLA home page

The American Veterinary Medical Law Association (AVMLA) is a national association of attorneys, veterinarians, and other individuals and organizations with an interest in veterinary medical law and how it pertains to the veterinary profession and allied fields.

BVA Legal Advice Line 

BVA Legal Advice Line (Members Only)

BVA provides a free legal advice line for its members. The advice line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is manned by a team of legal advisors, mainly lawyers, who have a range of expertise covering all aspects of the law.

Members are able to fax documents or agreements where they require advice, but advisers will not write correspondence on a member’s behalf. All calls are treated as confidential and are recorded for future reference.

The resource is for BVA members only – the phone number is available from the members section of the BVA website. A valid membership number is required in order to access the BVA legal advice line.

BSAVA Website

BVNA Legal Helpline (Members Only)

All BVNA members have access to a free legal helpline, manned by legal professionals who will answer questions in relation to any subject, not just employment. If you are a BVNA member and you need to ring the legal helpline, telephone the BVNA office on 01279 408644 or email bvna@bvna.org.uk, and they will put you in touch with the right person. You will need to have your BVNA membership number ready.

See also:-
Stress, Anxiety & Depression
Complaints & the RCVS
Relationships

Citizens Advice Bureau

Citizens Advice Bureau On-line Advice

Practical, up-to-date information on a wide range of topics, including benefits and housing, employment rights and discrimination, debt and tax issues, links to a directory of Citizens Advice Bureaux, a wide selection of fact sheets to print off and details of other reliable on-line sources of information.

Legal Services Commission – 0845 345 4 345

Community Legal Service home page – Free, confidential and independent legal advice if you are eligible for legal aid. The website has a wide range of links to reliable on-line sources of legal information.

Law on the Web

LawontheWeb home page – access to a wide range of solicitors and other legal experts.

Legal helplines can be available from other organisations that you may belong to, such as the Federation of Small Business or as add-ons to motor or household insurance policies.

Family Law

Citizens Advice Bureau

Citizens Advice Bureau guides on family law

DirectGov

DirectGov information and advice on family law 

Personal Injury

DirectGov

The Citizens Advice Bureau

Consumer Law

Consumer Direct – 08454 04 05 06

Consumer Direct Website and helpline funded by the Office of Fair Trading and manned by regionally based advisors who are specially trained to give practical and free advice on all kinds of consumer issues – from problems with cars to faulty household appliances.

Office of Fair Trading Guides

Trading Standards Institute

Neighbour Disputes

Citizens Advice Bureau

Directgov

Wills & Probate

Guides from the Citizens Advice Bureau and the Government site on managing your own affairs and those of the deceased are available at the links below.

You may also want to see the Relationships section of the site that has advice and support for the bereaved.

Citizens Advice Bureau Guides

Directgov Advice 

Emotional Support

Vet Helpline on 07659 811 118 (local call rates apply, 24hr rapid response answer phone) has friendly people with experience of the veterinary profession available to talk to you in complete confidence.

See also the section of this web site that covers Stress, Anxiety & Depression.